About a week ago I finally restarted my laptop. Usually, I just let it go to sleep and then wake it up when I need it, but I know that every so often you do need to restart the computer. Upon restarting the little computer alert box popped up and told me I had updates that I should install. Updates? Am I already updating my computer? I have only had it for about four months and always thought that updates were yearly issues. Nope, upon looking at that little box harder, I realized that my Mac releases updates almost every other week. Not for every application, but in general. There are system updates, program updates, security updates–you name it. So, there I was, two months into computer ownership, and I was updating my computer.

Sometimes I get apprehensive about updating my computer. Especially program updates. I mean, I am used to how these programs work and look. I am comfortable with them. Once I click yes and start updating my computer, things start to look different. And granted, change isn’t always a bad thing, in fact I have been really happy with some updates. Updates make programs run better, they fix kinks and bugs in the system, they keep you safer when you are online, but sometimes, sometimes they are just a pain. When I updated iTunes® on my Mac, I was unhappy. My iTunes program got all these fancy extra boxes, the iTunes store became a staple on the window and overall, I regretted the update. But once you go forward, you can’t go back.

But the story of updating my computer isn’t a sad one. I am here to help you out. So, you think your computer might need updates, but you don’t know how to get them? It’s easy. Close all the boxes on your screen if you have any open. If you are on a PC, go into System Properties in the My Computer box and click Windows Updates, there you will see the available updates. If you have a Mac, go to the top left hand corner and click on the apple in the left hand corner and go to software updates. Presto’ chango’, you can update your computer fast and easily!

Now that you can update your computer, let me get back to updating my computer. So, I had about seven updates to perform on my Mac. Updates ranging from MicrosoftÒ Word and ExcelÒ to iPhotoÒ and GarageBandÒ. I thought, do I really need all of these updates? Will they just take up more space on my computer and not make any difference to the functionality of the programs being updated? I called up my dad, he knows a lot about computers and how they run.

“Dad,” I said, “do I really need to spend all this time updating my computer?”

“Yes!” he responded enthusiastically, “Of course you do. Updating your computer will help ensure that it runs to the best of its capabilities.”

“What about the memory space it takes up?” I asked.

“It replaces the old programs so your computer isn’t bogged down, you have enough memory, maybe if you are worried, you just get rid of some your pictures and move them to an external hard drive.”